Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-06-09
FINDING AMBEReRIs.

IT'S said that every mans chance for
fortune comes once in lifetime. Be
that as it may, the Provincetown whale
men are not generally backward in
graphing that chance when it does
come to them. The recent rich find of
ambergris by two Provincetown sailors,
Captains Johnson and Maudley, at Salm
Bay. West Indies, recalls to mind some
interesting stories of small fortunes
that have been found drifting around
in West Indian waters and along the
Spanish main.
Ambergris is a peculiar secretion
found in n diseased sperm whale, and
is worth its weight in gold. 1t is not
a buoyant article, and is only obtained
by killing the whale or the whale dy-
ing and drifting ashore, when the lump
of ambergris washes upon the beach
after the carcass is decomposed. The
ambergris whales are usually found
near the land, and when the stuff is
picked up on the shore the carcass of a
dead whale is usually somewhere in
the vicinity. When an apparently
healthy whale is killed and on exam
ination appears to have very little oil.
a search for ambergris is Immediately
made. In appearing it is dark gray
sticky substance, and very vile SMELL
ing. 1t is principally used in making
perfumes to ''set" the odor and as re-
finer.
Provincetown whalemen have always
been fortunate in finding this valuable
article, and have had their share with
whalemen from other ports. One clear,
calm afternoon a number of years ago,
the schooner Gage Phillips, of Province
town, was drifting along on the whal-
ing grounds, when the man on look
out in the croWs-neSt hailed the deck,
as is customary when any thing is dis
covered on the water, and reported to
the officer of the deck small, peculiar
looking substance floating off the port
quarter, and said it looked something
like beeswax, which is often found
floating in those waters. The captain.
was called. and after looking at il
through his glass ordered boat low
cred to get it. 1t was taken on deck,
and after examination by the crew pro-
nounced to be some peculiar kind OF
West Indian gum, some thing they had
never seen before. After being kicked
around the deck for numbe3 of days
81 was thrown into the stern boat to
get it out of the way and sooB forgot
ten. Some time afterward the Phil
lips fell in with another Providence
wbaler and the crews exchanged visits.
While the two captains were seated in
the Phillips stern boat spinning yarns
and talking of home, the visiting cap
tain suddenly espied the lump of
gum" and with much surprise asked:
'.What are you letting that lay around
in that style forP''
The answer was: ''Why, it Isl NO
good, only wax that am taking home
for some of the boys"
mo good" said the other captain.
''why, is is ambergris and worth it's
weight IN gold, ana YOU had better
take care of it,
1t is needless to say it was we'll taken
care of and when the vessel arrived
home the sale of thas lump of gum"
added $4,000 to the general stock fog
the voyage.
Another captain OF merchant YES
sci while laying at one of the small ISL
ands in the West Indies, discovered a
lump as big. as his two fists in posses
sion of a negro whO. not knowing its
value, sold it to the. captain for one.
flannel shirt and an old pair of pants
1t was sold IN the States for $500. An
other instance is told of Province
town whaling crew who lost their prize
when almost secured The whale hadlI
been killed and tOWed to the vessel,
peculiar-loOEng particles floating on
the water alongside. He took them
mp with dip-net, and after examining
them said they looked like amberguis.
1t was deemed worth while to make a |
search. On sticking spear into the
part where anabergris is usually found.
Il hard substance was struck. Immsdi-
ately all was excitement. The whale
was cut into and dark gray mass
about the size of half barrel was dis
covered. Guy ropes were made fast, |
and an attempt was made to haul it in
on deck, but it proved too much for the
men at the ropes A boat was then
lowered and hauled to the spot and the.
guy ropes thrown to the men in the !
boat. Before they could catch the
ropes the lead-like mass shot downward |
into the bottomless sea and $50, 00G |
slipped away, leaving a mad captain
and a mad cfew.-BOStOR Globe.
Metric Weights and Measures